Manufacturers of a variety of products, especially perfume and other cosmetics, often distribute small samples of their products to potential customers. This task is accomplished by enclosing sample material in a sampler device, which is then distributed directly to potential customers or included in magazines or other publications which are then distributed to and read by potential customers.
In order to catch and maintain the interest of present and potential customers, variety in the types and looks of sampler devices is necessary. One common sampler device, known in the art as a ScentStrip.RTM. sampler, is used to distribute perfume samples and generally comprises a sheet of paper, which has been folded one or more times to create panels, and an encapsulated fragrance contained between the panels of the paper sheet. The panels are releasably attached or fastened, such that the consumer can lift one of the panels to access the fragrance when desired. Alternatively, one of the panels can be perforated such that the consumer removes a tear strip or zip strip to access the sample material.
Not only do sampler devices allow potential customers to sample a product, these devices also serve an important advertising function. For example, artwork or advertising text is often printed on sampler devices before their distribution. Effective artwork can attract attention to the sampler device, entice a potential customer to try the sample, and thereby gain new customers for the manufacturer of the sampled product. Widespread distribution of these sampler devices and effective methods for their mass manufacturing, especially as part of the printing process, are therefore highly desirable.
During manufacturing and distribution of sampler devices, it is desirable to prevent migration of the sample material components through the sampler device. This prevents premature exposure of the sample material and prevents the magazine or publication within which the sampler device is bound from being damaged or defaced by the sample material.
Prior art sampler devices are most frequently made of paper, and most paper is permeable to liquids and/or volatile materials present in many sample materials such as cosmetics or perfumes. Thus, a sampler device which does not provide a substantial barrier between the sample material and the paper will allow the sample material or its components to migrate through the paper, resulting in unwanted premature exposure or release ("pre-release") of the sample material. One way to address this problem is to treat the paper with a substance which renders the sampler device substantially impervious to the sample material. Thus the migration of the sample material will be substantially retarded. Such a treated-paper sampler device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,958 to Charbonneau. Manufacture of the Charbonneau device involves treating a sample area on a paper substrate or paper sheet with volatile liquid containment treatment, drying the coating, and crosslinking. To perform the drying and curing steps on the press, disproportionately large industrial ovens would be required in the printing path. This becomes especially impractical when several sequential coats are applied. Another drawback associated with increasing the thickness of the treatment material is curling of the paper substrate caused by shrinkage of the treatment material. Because the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the chemical and physical properties of the paper substrate, only certain types of paper are suitable for the treatment process. Many types of inexpensive papers, such as un-sized, recycled, light-weight, or high-bulk paper, may not be suitable for use in this type of device. Furthermore, the treatment process does not allow for pre-inspection of the materials to confirm that the required barrier protection exists. The treated substrate can be tested only after the manufacturing process is completed, and if the treatment provides an inadequate barrier the entire process must be repeated. Additionally, the coating process may interfere with the appearance of printed advertising material or artwork on the substrate page underneath the coating material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,537 to Giannavola also discloses a sampler device comprising a substrate upon which a coating has been applied. The coating disclosed is 1 mm thick and requires heating at 250.degree. to 350.degree. for curing. Such an extreme thickness may be unacceptable for many applications, such as magazine pages.
Another device which addresses the pre-release problem is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,172 to Comyn et al. Comyn et al. teaches a two-layer sampler device which is made entirely from a vapor proof material such as sheet plastic. The Comyn device is produced in rolls and is not an integral part of a printed page. Therefore, additional equipment and personnel are needed in order to attach the device to a page, thus adding to the cost of manufacture. The differential in the speeds of these multiple, discontinuous steps makes this process generally more complex and generally more expensive.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,420 to Bootman et al. discloses a fragrance-laden pouch sampler and process for manufacturing the sampler. The Bootman pouch comprises two plastic barrier film layers which are sealed together to contain a fragrance sample. In the manufacturing process disclosed in Bootman, these pouches are mass produced and ultimately wound into rolls. Then the pouches may be separated from the rest and distributed individually, or they may be included in magazines by attaching one of the barrier film layers of each pouch to pages in the magazine. As in Comyn, the pouches are not an integral part of a printed page. Thus, a magazine sampler using the Bootman device requires multiple, discontinuous steps to construct the pouch and then attach it to the advertising page. And again, the differential in the speeds of these multiple, discontinuous steps makes this process generally more complex and generally more expensive.
Yet another sealed sampler device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,688 to Muchin. Muchin discloses a device made up of at least three layers: a base ply with a hole therethrough, a closure ply on one side of the base ply, and a removable film ply which covers the other side of the base ply and seals a sample material within the hole. Once this device is constructed, it may be incorporated into a magazine by attaching the closure ply to a page in the magazine. As with Comyn et al. and Bootman et al., the device is not an integral part of a printed page. Therefore, attachment of the device to a page is an additional, discontinuous step which adds complexity to the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,105 to Boyd relates to a method and apparatus for sealing a scent slurry during a printing process. The Boyd method comprises applying a microencapsulated scent slurry to a continuous web of substrate material and then covering the scent slurry with an impermeable material. The impermeable material is adhered to the substrate web, but not to the microencapsulated scent slurry. Boyd also contemplates placing a second sheet of impermeable material on the opposite side of the substrate. The Boyd method does not isolate the scent slurry from the substrate web, which is typically paper. The method also does not contemplate fragrance release by rupturing microcapsules in a pull-apart action. The apparatus disclosed in Boyd is a device specially constructed to achieve the method disclosed in Boyd.
In addition to the pre-release problem, many sampler devices have other functional limitations which reduce the range of materials which may be used in their construction. For example, in prior art sampler devices such as the ScentStrip.RTM. sampler, the fragrance is microencapsulated to meet current U.S. postal regulations for minimizing pre-release. Key components of a volatile material, such as a fragrance, may be lost in the process of microencapsulation, thereby resulting in a less accurate rendition, or impairing the fragrance or sample material. Also, there is a severe restriction on the types of materials that may be used to enclose sample materials. Most sample materials, including fragrance microcapsules and the like, are highly sensitive to both the chemistry of the enclosing materials and the process by which the enclosing materials are manufactured. For example, the alkaline manufacturing process used for publishing paper presents a problem for sample materials which may be sensitive to the pH of the paper. In addition, certain recycled paper may not be used for some sampler devices because direct exposure to the contents of certain liquid sample materials can release latent odors in the paper which may alter the smell of scent samples.
There is therefore a need for a sampler device which substantially isolates the sample material from the carrier sheet; reduces permeation of the sample material components through the sampler device; may be constructed from a large selection of inexpensive, widely-available materials which may be pre-inspected to provide high reliability; provides a greater degree of creative flexibility; and can be quickly and inexpensively produced in mass quantities. There is also a need for a method of making such sampler devices including a "one-pass," in-line, or continuous-motion printing process.